Style Court

11.17.2008

Design by the Book

There are a couple of projects I'm quite excited about so I want to help spread the word even though you may have already learned about them online or in print. Grace Bonney just launched with the New York Public Library a video series in which she follows five artists (Julia Rothman, John Pomp, Mike Perry, Moontree Press and Lorena Barrezueta) as they create works inspired by the library's collections. I've subscribed to the series through iTunes but you can click here for other viewing options.

After watching the dynamic intro, I'm anxious to see all the upcoming films.

Speaking of artists and books, whenever I'm in Sam Flax, the exquisite Hiroshige calls out to me. It's a lavish, over-scale volume that celebrates the work of the 19th-century Japanese artist. Working with woodblock prints, Hiroshige captured the scenes of his native Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and the book includes 120 of his most masterful illustrations.

It's a collector's piece, but not inexpensive -- $150.

An alternative is Taschen's mini paperback, Hiroshige, priced at $9.99. This edition includes a brief biography and chronological summary of the artist's work, historical perspective, and roughly 100 color illustrations with captions.